2007 Alpert Award in the Arts


	I continue to draw on the European historical tradition of the violin as an acoustically grand sounding, expressive instrument, I am deeply influenced by jazz, and work in the tradition of the composer-performer-improviser. I have been so fortunate to work with such a diverse group of great musicians, including John Zorn, John Abercrombie, Muhal Richard Davis, Paul Bley, Billy Hart, Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, Anthony Davis, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Dave Douglas, Manfred Eicher. It's broadened me and created a flexibility in both my playing and my thinking that I may not have had if I'd only made my own music. There's a complete naturalness when you're playing music you've written. It's like an actor speaking his own words as opposed to reading someone else's script. Technique is deeply connected with what you're able to conceive. As a musician, I think about technique every morning when I practice, always beginning with open strings and scales. I'm interested in the marriage of content to technique and in working towards the point of all technique arising from content.

In 2002 he premiered the Violin Concerto of Guus Janssen as soloist with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in the Contemporary Music Festival Nederland Muziek Dagen. Also that year he performed a work composed for him by Bill Dobins, the Concerto for Violin and Jazz Orchestra with the WDR Jazz Orhcestra in concert at the Vienna Concert House. In years past he has been a soloist with the WDR Radio Orchestra and the Basil Symphonetta. In Chamber music he has performed and Recorded the Complete String Quartets of John Zorn (Tzadik Records) and his own works for String Quartet Book of Tells (Enja Records). With the trio “Abaton” he performs the works of composer Sylvie Courvoisier resulting in a CD for the ECM Label. In October, 2006 ECM released his recording “what exit” with John Taylor, Anders Jormin and Tom Rainey.

Mark is currently a member of the John Abercrombie Quartet, along with Joey Barron and Marc Johnson. In addition to international concert tours the resulting recordings “Open Land,” “Cat n’ Mouse” and “Class Trip” are on ECM records. In Concert he has performed with Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Paul Bley, Billy Hart, Joe Lovano, Anthony Davis, Dave Douglas, Richard Galliano, The Arcado String Trio, Louis Sclavis, Muhal Richard Abrams, Wolfgang Puschnig, and Uri Caine, among others.

Composer John Zorn has included him in many concert and recording projects over the past 10 years including Massada String Trio, Bar Kakhba, film scores, chamber music and two CD’s of his Masada Compositions arranged for Violin and Piano “Masada Recital” and “Malphas—The Book of Angels Vol. 3” on Tzadik Records.

Mr. Feldman is found on over 150 jazz recordings as a soloist, including his own release “Music for Violin Alone” (Tzadik) and his October 2006 release “what exit” (ECM). As a composer, he has been commissioned by the Kronos Quartet and the WDR Radio Orchestra. In commercial music he has appeared as a Studio Musician with Such Groups as Sheryl Crow, The Manhattan Transfer, Diana Ross and Carole King among others.

Before moving to New York City in 1986, Mr. Feldman lived in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was a member of the ensembles that toured with country western singers Loretta Lynn and Ray Price. In Nashville, he appeared on over 200 recordings, including albums by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis and Television evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.